So Did You Hex Him?
by Hornswaggler
Summary: Really short, really bad one-shot...x3 So what exactly enticed Lily to accept that first date? Read at your own risk, I personally think it failed.


**Alright Umm....Yeah, this is bad. XD I just needed to get it out of my head...Seriously, I don't know why I'm putting it up. -shrug- It just seemed like the right thing to do. So, you've been warned. Read at your own risk, and reviews are still adored!!**

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"Potter? What are you doing?"

The voice was quiet, nearly a whisper, but it caught the seventh-year's attention as fast as any shout would. Looking up, he set the book that he was holding onto the wooden table. Fighting back a rather wild grin, a small smile slipped onto his face.

"Hey, Evans," the boy greeted carefully, pushing a stray clump of hair back into its original position. "How was your summer?" Lily blinked, raising one suspicious eyebrow.

"How was my…?"

"Summer, yes," he confirmed, grinning. "What's with the face? Is there a tap-dancing centaur behind me or something?" Folding her arms, the girl rolled her eyes.

"It was dull," she stated shortly. "Back to the original question; what are you doing?" With a shrug, James gestured toward the book now lying on the table.

"Reading. I have to catch up with Dumbledore's class. With all the practices we've had recently, homework's been a pain to keep up with. However," He glanced around. "At the moment, I'm talking to you. Why the sudden interest?"

"Where's the rest of your little group?" Lily demanded, refusing to lose her initial train of thought. Why did she always get so distracted around him? It seemed like every time she went to point something out, particularly if it was a flaw, a few words in and she had completely forgotten what she had been about to say. Not this time, though…She had to get to the bottom of whatever trickery he was trying to pull off.

"I asked you first," James accused, folding his hands behind his head. "Ah, well; Sirius dragged Remus off to do something or other…I imagine it'll end in detention, judging by the look in his eyes. Peter's probably tagging along, I haven't seen him much today. I'm…well, here. I don't think I'll ever live down coming to the library rather than go along with Padfoot, but I'm sure I'll survive the torment; it's better than trying survive the wrath of a teacher." Ignoring the rather shocked look on her face, he raised one eyebrow at the girl. "Back the original question; why the sudden interest?"

Lily blinked, a bit taken aback as her own transition was used against her. She sighed, taking a moment to stare intently at a row of books.

"Nothing really…crucial," she finally said with a shrug. "You've just been weird lately. We've been back for nearly three weeks, and this is the first time you've said a thing to me. Last year, you wouldn't leave me alone…" Merlin's beard, she wished he would stop looking at her like that. It wasn't a look she was used to…certainly not from him. That unblinking stare was almost creepy. It was more calculating than anything else. She shook her head quickly, barely pulling back her train of thought before it wandered off in search of something more interesting to do. "You've been weird," the seventh-year finished rather lamely, her arms falling to her sides. "What are you trying to pull?"

"What, are you complaining?" he asked her, a slight teasing tone in his voice. "I never thought _you'd _be the one to ask why I'm not being a jerk. You've got Remus to blame for it, really. He made a point of pounding some manners into me over the summer…and that's literally, mind you. I didn't think it would be anything that was noticed, but…" James shrugged, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table. "Apparently I was wrong in that aspect. Look, if you're planning on continuing this interrogation, why don't you sit down? My neck is getting tired from looking up this much." Lily snorted, looking at the chair in front of her as if searching for booby traps hidden on it.

"Was this one of the lessons you were taught?" she asked, arms crossing again. The boy chuckled, shaking his head.

"Not really…more like common courtesy." Blinking at that comment, Lily paused for a moment, then reluctantly settled herself into the chair. Lovely, now he was eye-level. She took to staring pointedly at a point above his left shoulder, uncomfortably aware that no matter where her gaze was, the Seeker's sharp eyes seemed to always be watching hers. The silence, encouraged by the constant sweeping glares of the librarian, stretched on for at least a minute. Lily, attempting to think of what she could say that wouldn't make her appear a complete idiot, was startled as James took it upon himself to start up the conversation again.

"Look, Evans, I think I need to…apologize for…well, the last six years." She turned, eyes wide, to find him staring out a window and talking as if she were behind it rather than in front of him. "I was a bit of a jerk. Alright, a total jerk," he conceded catching the look she shot him. "Not just to you, but considering you're the only one who might listen to a few words before hexing me…" He glanced at her quickly before turning back as it was clear that his attempted joke had no effect. "I don't think I actually realized what a pain I was before Remus pointed it out. I don't know how you refrained from killing me, in all honesty." This actually produced a small grin, and James plowed on with increased vigor. If he could get her to smile, it wasn't totally hopeless. "I'm trying to fix it this year. No more fights…without reason, of course. I'm actually trying to do the school work…" He shrugged somewhat self-consciously, still avoiding her eyes. "If I can get through this year without much incident, I might actually manage to pull of decent marks for once." There was a slight pause, the muffled silence of the library settling for a moment. Then, he suddenly turned back to Lily with a resigned grin. "But let me tell you, the hardest part is getting off your back. It's…well, I think you know why, no need to go into it, but lasting three weeks without bugging you is a bit shocking."

The girl simply sat in silence as he concluded, her eyes firmly pointed anywhere other than the boy in front of her. Normally, this entire speech would have been blown off as a well thought out trick. This time, however…a notion was drifting through her head that perhaps this time, James Potter wasn't trying to pull any prank or just annoy her to no end. Something about the look he was giving her felt out of place with him, as if she were sitting with a different person. After a while, she sighed, resting her head on one hand.

"Well, honestly…yes, you were a jerk. More than that, actually, if only they had an appropriate word for it…but I don't think I was exactly the most encouraging about much of anything. Maybe it was always being between you and Severus, but I…" She paused, realizing how stupid the statement sounded even before she said it, but then went ahead and said it anyway. "I didn't exactly give you a chance." Alright, it sounded even stupider out loud. Lily glanced at him, biting her lip. Unfortunately, she could easily see why he was constantly chased by girls from almost every House. Though she'd never actually admit it, he _was _quite good looking…Most people thought he and the rest of the Marauders were the funniest people alive, and even she had laughed at a couple of their jokes. He could be an excellent student if he ever bothered doing the work…With a quick shake of her head, the seventh-year attempted to pull her mind off of that train of thought sharply, but it simply slipped back on. It was a well known fact that most girls would kill for a chance to go out with James Potter. He was the Quidditch star, part of the most famous group at Hogwarts…and yet, he had remained single the entirety of his six years at the school. Of course, it was also a well known fact as to the reason. Lily wasn't exactly the most popular among the girls in her years. She was to blame for James being impossible to get to. Her group of close friends all shared at least one thing; they were the tiny fraction that thought Potter was too full of himself for his own good and should really get some sense knocked into him. But now…now it seemed her views had been altered slightly.

The silence stretched on, each wandering in their own thoughts. The Transfiguration book lay forgotten on the table between them, the rather wrinkly author blinking sleepily up at the ceiling. It was the bell that finally startled them out of the lull. The hallway outside was quickly filled with the sound of hundreds of students exiting classes, some ending their break period, all headed to lunch. Lily stood quickly, swinging her bag back over her shoulder.

"I have to go, I promised Katie I would help her study while we ate…" She stuffed the books in her arms into the bag, stifling a curse as one made a bid for freedom, quite literally, flopping across the floor like the fish it bore on the cover. Holding the bag closed with one hand, she dove after the book with the other. The girl was just bending down when the it was scooped up quickly, given a sharp flick on the spine, then held out to her. Any words forming dissipated in a quick exhale of air as she looked up, her eyes locking for a few seconds with the boy now clutching her struggling book. James grinned as she took it, hurriedly stuffing it in amongst the others and firmly closed the bag.

"Thanks," she said quietly, determinedly looking anywhere but his face as she felt herself go red. "I really should go…" She slipped around him, striding toward the library's door and leaving James staring after her, mind working furiously. If he asked her now and she said no, it would take another few months to get back to this point…but if he didn't, she'd get away, and who knew when he'd have her alone again? After a moment's pause, he took off through the shelves of books, ignoring the librarian's sharp glare.

"Evans! Ah…Lily, wait!" He allowed a small moment of relief as she stopped a few yards from the hall, then let it fall away. Catching up to the girl, he paused to catch what little breath was lost, then paused again to try and find decent words. "Look, there's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend…Maybe I could--I mean, if you--" He trailed off at her look, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. "Wait, no…I meant if you wanted…" Another look and he stopped, stuffing both hands into the pockets of his robes.

"James?" He blinked at this. She actually used his first name? All sorts of records were being broken today.

"Ah…yeah?"

"Just shut up and meet me in the Entrance Hall, okay?" The boy blinked again, his brain working at top speed to try and evaluate what this statement meant. As he registered the smile she now wore as genuine, he laughed, half relief and half at his own stupidity.

"Yeah…yeah, sure."

* * *

Katie was in near hysterics when Lily finally found her at the table. It had taken her longer than usual to get to lunch, considering she was in a daze half the time, still trying to figure out what had actually occurred.

"Lily Evans, you jerk, you said you were going to help me study!" Her roommate's voice broke into the thoughts as she sat down, pulling a pile of turkey sandwiches toward her.

"What? Oh, oh right…Sorry Katie, I was…kind of held up."

"By what?" Of course she would ask that…Lily took a breath, then shrugged.

"James. He, uh…wanted to talk to me."

"James Potter? I thought he was over you by now. So what, did you hex him this time?" The seventh-year nearly laughed at this question.

"Well…no. Not this time."

"What happened then? You took ages! Did his little group trap you or something?" Katie never seemed to give up…any new piece of information available, and she would pounce on it. You couldn't be vague with her. Taking another breath, Lily shrugged again.

"No…not exactly. But apparently I have a date Saturday."


End file.
